The present invention relates to construction vehicles, and more particularly to seat assemblies for construction vehicles.
Certain construction vehicles, such as pavers and compactors, are used to form mats of asphalt, concrete or similar materials for such applications as roadways, airport runways, parking lots, etc. A typical compactor or compacting vehicle includes a frame, one or two compacting drums attached the frame and a seat or operator station mounted to the frame. The drums roll over and compact paving material as the vehicle traverses sections of a mat of the paving material. When operating proximal to the edges of the mat, it is often necessary for an operator seated in the operator station to view the outer side edges of the one or more drums so as to guide the vehicle along the mat edges.
In one aspect, the present invention is a seat assembly for a construction vehicle. The assembly basically comprises a base attached to the vehicle and having an axis and a rail movably connected with the base so as to be angularly displaceable about the base axis. The rail has a longitudinal centerline extending generally perpendicularly with respect to the base axis. A seat carriage is movably connected with the rail so as to be linearly displaceable along the rail centerline. Further, a linkage is connected with the base and with the seat carriage, the linkage being configured to linearly displace the carriage along the rail centerline when the rail angularly displaces about the base axis.
In another aspect, the present invention is also a seat assembly for a construction vehicle, vehicle having a generally horizontal upper surface. The assembly basically comprises a rail rotatably connected with the vehicle so as to be angularly displaceable about a generally vertical axis extending perpendicular to the vehicle upper surface. The rail has a longitudinal centerline extending generally perpendicularly with respect to the vertical axis. A cam is connected with the vehicle and a seat carriage is slidably connected with the rail and has a follower portion engaged with the cam. As such, the carriage linearly displaces along the rail centerline when the rail angularly displaces about the vertical axis.
In a further aspect, the present invention is again a seat assembly for a construction vehicle. The assembly comprises a base attached to the vehicle and having an axis and a rail movably connected with the base so as to be angularly displaceable about the base axis. The rail has a longitudinal centerline extending generally perpendicularly with respect to the base axis. A seat carriage is movably connected with the rail so as to be linearly displaceable along the centerline. Further, a linkage has a first portion connected with the base and a second portion connected with the seat carriage. The linkage second portion is displaceable with respect to the first portion when the rail angularly displaces about the base axis so as to linearly displace the seat carriage along the rail centerline.